New Fire Stations In Margate Would Broaden Area Of Service

MARGATE - — Two new fire stations may be built instead of just the one originally planned.

Mayor Art Bross said talks are in progress to build an extra station on State Road 7, south of Southgate Boulevard. That would be in addition to plans to build one next to Northwest Medical Center.

Currently there are fire stations at 600 Rock Island Road and 5785 Park Drive.

Bross said if the Southgate Boulevard area station is built, the 5785 Park Drive location would be converted into a garage for the police department's motorcycles.

Two stations instead of one would create a "triangle of service," Bross said.

All three stations would operate 24 hours a day and would be staffed by the city's 52 firefighters/paramedics.

The two new stations would have to be built for the $1.9 million set aside in a $5.845 million bond issue for public improvements approved by voters last year. The city had planned to build and equip only one station for the $1.9 million.

The City Commission has not set a date to discuss building two stations. The talks have stayed among Bross, City Attorney Gene Steinfeld and Police Chief Frank Porcella.

"We're researching it for the legalities," Porcella said. "It's just a quick toss of an idea."